Twenty-two days into the New Year and here is our diet report: Hubby has lost approximately 9 pounds since January 1st, by eliminating most carbs and really focusing on eating healthier. I've been impressed with his choice of healthy salads and soups at restaurants. So how am I doing? You may remember that I decided …
There are growing concerns with high fructose corn syrup, yet it is still a major sweetener in lots of the products in stores today because it's cheap. There are conflicting opinions....some say it's perfectly fine, some research suggests that it is a major contributor to obesity and many diseases. (You can google this...I'm not here …
I have shopped at ALDI a few times before and have always been pleasantly surprised with their selection of products. The store itself isn't big, but they have LOTS of stuff and all at a reasonable price. The Captain loves to put the quarter in the shopping cart and then retrieve it later. This is …
I'm sure you're feeling the stress from the hustle and bustle of the season, right? There are parties to attend, plays and performances to watch, gifts to buy, and more. It's hard to slow down this time of year, but it is important to make time for family meals where you can actually slow down, …
My hubby and I were given the opportunity to experience a gondola cruise from Cloud 9 Living in Irving, Texas. Specifically, the company running the gondola cruise was Gondola Adventures, but all of the planning goes through Cloud 9 Living. This is great because whatever it is that you want to gift, Cloud 9 Living …
I like to order fresh fruits and veggies from Bountiful Baskets and on Saturday I was surprised with two beautiful ears of dried Indian corn (aka "flint corn") in my hostess add-on. I had always seen Indian corn at the stores and I figured they were just ornamental and for decoration purposes only. So I laid …
My hubby and I both LOVE pecan pie at Thanksgiving and well, throughout the year, given the opportunity. I decided to try and see if my hubby would like a pie with no butter or corn syrup. I had the first piece and it was just as sweet, just as satisfying, but the ooey gooey …
I am so lucky that both of my boys love fruit. Vegetables is another story, but at least they love their fruit. I have a hard time keeping up with their appetite for fruit and finding new, exciting ways for them to eat it! And with the Captain going to preschool two days a week …
A few years ago, the hubby (a youth minister) and I were at a new church. We were eating a meal and talking to different members of the church. Then, an upcoming ladies' retreat became the topic of discussion. One of the ladies asked me if I was going to go and I said "probably …
I've always loved the idea of Family Game Night, but was waiting for the boys to be old enough to actually be able to play a game. We play "Family Game Night" on the Wii, but the Captain's attention span isn't that long (as it should be!) and of course, Baby D is just happy …
I taught kindergarten for three years before having kids and becoming a stay-at-home mom, then a houseparent at a children's home, then a stay-at-home mom again. School was always filled with mixed emotions. The first day of school was exciting, scary, exhausting and inspiring all at the same time. The end of the year was …
Parenting Hack for Mealtime: The Awesome Way to Get Inquisitive Kids to Eat I'm so glad that my husband is the father of my children. He plays with our boys like he is a boy himself. He teaches them good things and is a great Christian role model for them. But the purpose of this …
We had a little family movie night making "tuna turtles" with "A Turtle's Tale: Sammy's Adventures" this weekend!
Did you know that today, August 15th, is the official National Relaxation Day? There you go, that's all the excuse you need to kick back and relax! What do you do when you need to relax? Maybe get a massage? Go shopping? Lie down in bed and go to sleep? Or possibly leave the kids …
I know, it's the hottest month of the year and you're wondering why on earth I'd be making a hot soup, let alone posting about it. Well, I have been craving Tomato Bisque ever since we had some a few months ago at Medieval Times. So today, I decided to make some! I found a …
I had no idea that VTech, one of our favorite brands, made a video baby monitor until I found them online one day. We really have had good luck with VTech products. It's amazing that they make such a vast array of high quality products! We were able to review the VTech Safe & Sound Full Color …
I know, no one likes a complainer. Buuuuuut, everyone needs to complain sometime, and I think these are valid complaints, so here I go. 1. If you're baby-sitting, it's 100% NOT COOL to take the kids to Chick-Fil-A and let them run wild and scream loudly in the play area while you sit and chat …
I can think of many times in my life that I was a nervous wreck. I have always been a bit of a worry-wart, so these nervous times are pretty commonplace...from job interviews, to speeches, to evaluations while I was teaching, to my own wedding! The times when I have been most nervous, however, have …
I'm so lucky to have a great father of my own, and an amazing husband who is a terrific father to our two boys. They are a great example for our children and I'm so blessed to have them in my life! Being a father is one of the hardest jobs in this life. …
I found some funny Father's Day cards on someecards.com that I had to share! It's okay, we love dads, but it's fun to chuckle at dad-isms, too! SaveSave
I always have a hard time with the question "what's your favorite food?" I have gone through so many favorite food phases, it's always something different! It has been many things through the years...pizza, lasagna, chicken or steak fingers, all really healthy foods, right? ha! When I was pregnant with Captain Fussybuckets, I lived on …
I love when I get a brilliant idea, whether it be a new blog post, a new way of organizing our toys, or even a new recipe. But, one of my top annoyances is unfinished projects. I know, many of you wouldn't believe it if you know me in real life because there's usually a …
I've been thinking about BlogHer's NaBloPoMo assignment all day - "What is something you recently jumped into?" Hmm...well, I jumped into parenting about 3 ½ years ago. I jumped into blogging April of 2011. And, I'm about to jump into being 30. Some things I jump into voluntarily and some, I go kicking and screaming. …
First things first...I was NOT paid by HEB to write this post. I just discovered my love for HEB and I wanted to share it with you! I have always been a shopper of a well known store but recently, I find myself going to HEB every week and "other" stores less frequently. Take a …
The First Years Sure Comfort™ Newborn to Toddler Tub is a great item to have! It's one of those things that will make life easier and help Baby like to take baths. The Sure Comfort™ tub is designed for security, comfort, and convenience. I like the fact that it fits in the bathtub and …
While Mothers Day gifts are nice, sometimes men and kids don't really understand what moms really want, and how a little goes a LONG way. Flowers, chocolates, and jewelry ARE nice, but let's save those for Valentine's Day, shall we? I've compiled a list of what Moms REALLY want. Feel free to add yours in …
If you read my story yesterday, you read that I "met" a lot of women going through their own battle with infertility on the message boards at Fertility Friend. One of those friends that I met during this time was "Sarah". Coincidentally, she had her baby girl a month before Captain Fussybuckets was born, but …
In my box of fruits and veggies from Bountiful Baskets last week, there was asparagus, which we like but don't eat often, and radishes. I had eaten radishes before in a salad, but I wanted something that was guaranteed to get my family to eat them so I wasn't stuck eating them all! I also …
I've always hated red food dye because of the moustache it leaves on your upper lip when you drink stuff that has red food dye in it. When we were working at the children's home, there were a few kids who always had a red moustache and I'm sure it was embarassing! The other day, …
I received a bunch of tomatillos last week, along with some other yummy goodies like fresh garlic, onion, and peppers. I had never cooked with tomatillos before, but I knew I wanted to try out this yummy Tomatillo Salsa! Here's how I made it: First, you take the "husk" off of the tomatillos (very simple) …
I was SO excited to get to review the Soda Stream Fountain Jet! We love soda, but I actually gave up Dr. Pepper and Mr. Pibb for Lent. I had my reservations about the Soda Stream, because I don't want us to get addicted to something that's equally not good for us, but I began …
The other day, we participated in the Bountiful Baskets food co-op for the first time, and were delighted what we had in our box! Delicious strawberries, blueberries, kiwis, apples, a pineapple, zucchini, tomatoes, a yellow bell pepper, broccoli, lettuce, and......green chard. Huh? Green what? What was I supposed to do with this? I read that …
When I heard Kristi Marsh was looking for bloggers to review her book, "Little Changes: Tales from a Reluctant Home Eco-Momics Pioneer," I immediately emailed her. I am not a big book reader because my time is consumed by two young children, but Kristi said she was patient and wanted me to review the book. …
I've been going to church since I was in the womb, so I've seen a lot of issues that are just sad come out of the church. I see it all the time....friends post on Facebook "he claimed to be a Christian" or "Christians are so hypocritical." There are Christians that have done me and …
Baby D turned 1 on Saturday! We were visiting family for an early Christmas celebration, but we squeezed in time for cupcakes, gifts, and birthday fun! He loved it all, even though the poor guy was sick!
I'm sure if you're a parent of a baby or young child, you've heard or read about the "safety issues" with the Bumbo seat. There are many reports of babies falling out of the seat off of tables, counters, chairs, etc even though this warning is clearly printed on the seat: (pardon the …
Happy Birthday, Baby D! We love you!!!!
I love fall. The smells, tastes, and beautiful scenery is awesome to me. I just love fall. I've always been a sucker for pumpkin pie and more recently, chocolate chip pumpkin bread. Pumpkins are a very versatile veggie and can be used in a lot of recipes! Yesterday I cooked and pureed a pie …
This is a super simple recipe that I made that we call "Spicy Casserole." It's not overwhelmingly spicy, but you can adjust the spiciness to fit your family's taste. (I used blue corn/flaxseed chips on top for an extra crunch!)
When my eldest brother got married in July of '09, Captain Fussybuckets was 8 months old. We got him a cute little tux to wear to the wedding. Now Baby D can fit in the tux, but we have no wherefancy to go! Maybe he'll wear it to church one day, but we had to …